As there is one primitive form of bow, so there is one
simple and natural method of drawing and loosing the arrow
which was undoubtedly the earliest practised, but which has
subsequently been modified in various ways. This method is to
hold the bow in the left hand about the middle, to lay the
arrow on the hand to the left of the bow, and, grasping the
butt between the finger and thumb, to draw the bow by
pressing it against the string. This method is still used by
many tribes to this day, and anyone who has ever given a
child Its first lessons in archery, or observed a boy
shooting who has taught himself, knows that it is invariably
the first adopted. In an interesting pamphlet on 'Ancient and
Modern Methods of Arrow Release,'[1] Professor E. S.
Morse has termed this method the 'primary release.'[2] In discussing
methods of drawing the bow occasion will frequently arise to
refer to this pamphlet by Professor Morse, as he was the
first to investigate this subject. His researches on a
seemingly trivial matter have a high ethnographic interest,
and his classification is so sound that it must form the
basis of any further researches on the subject.

The primary or finger and thumb loose is a good one for a
weak bow, as the arrow is easily loosed by the simple of
opening the finger and thumb; but unless the archer is
possessed of extraordinary strength in his fingers he cannot
shoot with any force by this method.. In. drawing a
strong

bow the arrow would necessarily slip from his grasp before
he had drawn it fully out. To obviate this some tribes the
Andaman Islanders for example scrape the butt of the arrow
where it is held with a shell so as to roughen it and give a
better grasp. The above figure from a photograph by Mr.
Portman shows this operation. Other tribes give a bulbous
form to the butt end of the arrow for the

same purpose. Mr. Morse's figure of an arrow from Oregon
shows this, and the practice is common in various parts of
the world. The Assyrian sculptures in the British Museum show
arrows of this form. Whenever arrows of this type are met
with, it may be inferred that the primary loose is in
use.

A certain indication that the primary loose or some
modification of it is in use is the absence of a nock in the
butt of an arrow; this is common in New Guinea, the Solomon
Islands, and other places. Where there is no nock it is
evident that if the fingers were to hold the string the arrow
would part company with it. An arrow without a nock must
necessarily be held by the finger and thumb against the
string, which is forced back by the arrow itself.

65.

66.

Secondary loose.

(Morse)

Click on an image for a for a larger version

67.

68.

Tertiary loose.

(Morse)

Click on an image for a for a larger version

The modifications of the primary loose alluded to above
are termed by Mr. Morse secondary and tertiary. By these
methods the arrow is still held by the finger and thumb
against the string, but the tips of the fingers assist in
drawing the bow. It seems doubtful, however, whether there is
a sufficient distinction between the secondary and tertiary
looses to justify their separation, and all finger and thumb
looses where the fingers assist in drawing the string will be
classed here as secondary.

The next loose in the natural order of development is
where not only are the tips of the second and third fingers
used to draw the string, but the tip of the first finger is
also, the grasp between the finger and thumb being
discontinued. This loose, which Professor Morse terms
'Mediterranean,' is, in fact, the one universally practised
in this country, and need not be figured here. Sometimes two
fingers only are used, but very few, if any, successful shots
have adopted this plan. The loose from two fingers is
undoubtedly very clean, but that advantage can only be gained
by using a weaker bow than could be drawn with three fingers,
and also by incurring the risk of straining the tendons of
the fingers. This is an accident which occurs not
unfrequently, even to those who use the three-finger loose,
the strain on the fingers being very severe. Archers are,
therefore, strongly advised not to adopt the loose from two
fingers. Some even go so far as to draw with all four
fingers, amongst them being Mr. C. E. Nesham, who is one of
the most successful shots of recent years. It is probable,
however, that other archers who imitated Mr. Nesham in this
particular might not prove so successful as he has done, and
the three-fingered loose is the one which aspiring archers
will do well to adopt. In this loose (as, indeed, in the
secondary also) a right-handed man places the arrow on the
left side of the bow, and a left-handed man on the right. The
part of the hand between the first knuckle of the forefinger
and the junction of the thumb with the hand makes a good
resting-place for the arrow.